Engine starting mechanism



July 21, 1936. J. GARTNER ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 16 1935 INVENTOR. Jo/m Gar/her "A ATT BY Wk Patented July 21, 1936 I 2,048,06 r ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM John Gartner, New York. N. Y., assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, 'N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 16, 1935, Serial No. 45,333

10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for start ing internal combustion engines, such as those used. in automobile power plants.

An object of the invention is to'provide a simple, efficient and automatic apparatusxof this character, preferably electrically motivated, and

[ including a pinion adapted to be automatically engaged with gear teeth on the engine flywheel when a predetermined. speed is attained, and

thereafter disengaged by reverse torque action,

and locked in the disengaged position.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from inspection of thefollowing specification when read with reference tothe accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however, thatthe drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose. l r In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows, in elevation, the preferred embodiment of the invention, and

section, but with the pinion in the demeshed l position.

Upon the extended armature shaft I of motor This drive is characterized by a driving stud or head i secured to the driving shaft, a driving spring 9 connecting between said driving head 35 and a corresponding stud ID on the sleeve I6.

is sleeve I6 is provided with a screw-threaded portion into which is screw-threaded the threaded extension l2 of a pinion l3 adapted to mesh with the teeth I 3 of the engine fly wheel 40 [4. The shaft I is journaled at its inner end in a bearing 3 toward which the pinion moves when shifted into mesh with the fly wheel.

As shown the sleeve l6 also includes a plurality of radial projections I! having apertures 45 to receive pins l8 projecting from pawls l9 and constituting the means whereby said pawls may swing within the projections l1, the said pawls being normally held in the position indicated in the drawing by the action of compression springs 50 2| suitably retained and. exerting a pressure holding the hook-ends 22 of the pawls in engagement with the flange 23 of the pinion.

These pawls I9 are so designed that their centers of gravity are somewhat to the left of the bear- 65 ing pins l8, so that upon rotation of the element lei. 74-7) l2 the centrifugal force established tends to swing the hook-ends 22 of the pawls away from the flange 23; but before the centrifugal force becomes suflicient to effect a complete release of the pinion, the rotating parts will have ao- 5 quired considerable momentum, which momenturn will be effective to insure positive. torque transmission to the engine member [4 virtually instantaneously upon meshing of the pinion therewith. .To increase the momentum, or in- 10 ertia efiect, the armature of motor 2 may be made heavier than it'normally is;

When the engine starts on its own power the pinion is automatically demeshed by reason of its acceleration beyond the speed of the driving 15 sleeve l6, and the resultant backward threading of the pinion; and in this demeshing movement the flange 23 rides under the sloping ends of the hooks 22 and is firmly caught thereby, the hooks having meanwhile returned to the position indi- 20 cated in Fig. 1 by reason of the action of the springs .2 I, coupled with the fact that the driving 7 sleeve I6 is now decelerated in response to the .deenergization of the starting motor. 5 Fig. 2 shows the same structure in longitudinal The friction'exerted upon the forward end of 25 the pinionby the spring-pressed cone brake 3| insures a meshing movement of the pinion as soon as pawls I9 have released their hold on flange 23. Spring 32 is compressed duringthis meshing movement and facilitates demeshing when;.the engine overruns.

What isclaimed is:

'1. Anlengine starting apparatus including a screw shaft having a pinion integral therewith and adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, means for rotating said screw shaft and pinion, said rotating means including a threaded sleeve engaging said screw shaft for translating the rotary movement of said screw shaft into a longitudinal (engine en- L0 gaging) movement, and means engageable with said pinion to render said translating means ineffective during low speed rotation of said sleeve.

2. An engine starting apparatus including a screw shaft having a pinion movable therewith and adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, means for rotating said screw shaft and pinion, said rotating means including a threaded sleeve engaging said screw shaft for translating the rotary movement of said screw shaft into a longitudinal (engine engaging) movement, and means engageable with said pinion to render said translating means ineffective during low speed rotation of said sleeve, said last named means also acting to lock said pinion in the non-meshing position after completion of the cranking action.

3. An engine starting apparatus including .a shaft having a pinion integral therewith and shaft having a cranking element integral there- 7 with and adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, means for rotating said shaft and cranking element, said rotatadapted to engage and crank a member of the ing means including a sleeveengaging said shaft Q,

engine to be started, means for rotating said for translating the rotary movement of said shaft i shaft and pinion, said rotating means including into a longitudinal (engine engaging) movement,

a sleeve engaginggsaid shaft for translating the and means engageable with saidcranking element rotary movement ofisaid shaft intoa longitudinal to renzdergsaifd translating-means ineffective dur- 10 (engine engagingf'movemenhand means'engage- "inglow speed rotation of said sleeve. 10

able with said pinion to render said translating 4 v 8. An engine starting apparatus including a means inefiective during low speed rotation at shaft havingra cranking element movable therea 4 said sleeve. t invithzandindapted to engage and crank a member 4. An engine starting apparatus including a of .the engine to-be;start'ed, means forrotating I shaft having a pinion mQvablefitherewith, x said shaft and eranking' element, saidv rotating 1:; adapted to engage and 'crarika membergdf lthe ,.mea eluding a'sleeve engaging said shaft for engine to be started, means for rotating said shaft translatingfthe rotary movement of said shaft and pinion, said rotating means indludingiaisleeve into:ailongitudinal 'fengine engaging) movement, engaging said shaft fortranslating gthe rotary ,and neans engageable with said cranking elet movement of said shaft into a longitudinal '(enmerit torender saidtranslating means ineffective 20 r lgi-neiengaging)imovement, andimeanszenga'geable =z=rluringllcwvsspeedgrotation .ofsaidisleevasaid last 'iiwithgsaid pinion=toerender saiditranslat-inggnieans :snamed means=.:;also zacting -;to ,lock .saidacr'anking iinefiectivet during -"lowispeed rotation zofgsaid element in themnnfmeshing position after com-' asleevessaidilast named-means.also;acting:toi1ock .iipletiombfethetcranking action. t 7 s ssaid'zpinion in .thegnonemeshing;iipositioniafter V 9.;;An:-:engin ez starting apparatus including a 25 H13 :IEOf the engine :to i besstanted, means for f-retating 3 engineb engaging) movementpand meanszengagc- I 40 ifdriven ';member having taapinionimovable :there- 7 1 completior'i of thescranking action. -:;5. Ansienginerstarting apparatus; including a i driven member shaving iapinion integral sthere- :tWith and adaptedttoeengage aand' crankeas member sfldliVBIl imember ihaving ,az cranking element .in-

- iitegralit-herewithaandladaptedrto engage and crank membergofitheenginegto be,.-started, means1for rctating staid driven zmember rand cranking ele- 'isaidzdriven :member and. zpinion, ,isaid rotating means includingiatdrivingimembereengagingisaid attiriven' memberi foritranslating ithezrotaryimovecment'sof esaid drivenazmeniber into a longitudinal member engaging gsaid driven; member for trans;

glatingithe .rotaryrmovement of said drivenamem- 7 fibergintoaa-zlongitudinal ,(erigineengaging) move- :ment, vsand im'e'ans engageable with 7 said crankring element :to arender. said translating means; ble'iwithsaid'1pinion;-to :render said translating -'inefiective.durings'ldvbspeed rotation of said drivameansiinefieetive during low .;speed.1rota.tion 10f eing m mb r-m i a V I isaid drivingunember. 7 l .mni-en me -starting app ra including a 26. iAn .jengine starting zapparatus :including a r idnvenmembenhavinga cranking element movaable therewithiandz'adapted to; engage and crank a member of the engineatorbe,started,,meansrfor rotating said driven member andcranking ele- -1with andzadapted-ito:engageand. cranka member :nfrthezengine toebe istarted'imeans zfore igotating V r'ssaid driven rmember sand rpinion, zsai'd rotating rm ntnsaidrotatmg means inc n a n means includingv a driving?memberr 'engagingzsaid member eng ing .zsaidiidriven member iforltrans-r -sd1'iven 'm'ember rfori-transiatingitheimtarmmove- Mia iment-zofssaids'driven member aintoia:longitudinal 1% "er: Q0 ail mitudinalg (engine engaginglmoveengine engaging) movementgandzmeansxengage ment, and means engageable With Said, cranking vTrebleivvith:saidspinion toi-renderrsaidgtranslating t l. QB ZtOE ZeQ e LSa d,trans1ating:meansineffec- -izmeansineffiectivegduringlow speedmotationgofsaid innin lcw srspeedfl'otation :of said driving :drivin'gimernherisaid last namedmeansaisoaact- -;:ment,-;said5rotating means including-a driving 30 t 7 ting'tne rotary movement ofsaiddriven ;mem-,,

tmh rnsaidlastznamednneans also acting 1305.350

ing to lock said pinion-Lin sthesnonemeshingiposition after completion of the crankingaction.

;7. 2An iengine :starting eapparatus :aincludi-ng a dgek s id ;eranking element in the :non-.,meshing nositioniafiter ,completiontflf the cranking action.

' JOHN GARTNER. 

